Lakeport >> If not for Jillian Billester, the Soper Reese Theatre would likely not be what it is today.
Long before it was a community event center, the Soper Reese was a two-screen movie theater. When the owners closed their doors and moved the business to a much larger venue down the road, Billester, who was the Executive Director of the Lake County Arts Council at the time, had a vision. What if the council could raise enough money to purchase the building and create an art center for the Lakeport community?
The asking price was roughly $300,000. She never dreamed that she would receive such a large sum at once. But when Billester approached Jim Soper, asking if he would donate to the council, he gave her everything she needed without hesitation. And just like that, Billester’s vision became a reality.
Billester was quite the force in the community. “She was so wise and had an amazing way of healing hearts. It seems like everybody we ran into had some horrible ache in their heart and she could heal it,” said her husband, Dale Billester. “She was loving, she was kind.”
Last year, Billester’s health began to fail. Just before she passed away from cancer, the theater decided to honor her and all that she did for arts in Lake County. They set up a memorial scholarship in her name, which would be awarded to a high school or college student active in the local arts scene.
“We’re really proud to honor her,” said Mike Adams of the Soper Reese Theatre. “She was a pretty amazing lady.”
Not only was Billester dedicated to the arts community, she was a strong supporter of Lake County youth, which makes the memorial scholarship that much more special. When she was the Executive Director she cleared out a room at the theater so that kids would have a safe and quiet environment for studying.
“It’s a wonderful tribute to her and her life,” said Dale Billester. “Her first love was the kids. The fact that we’re doing this as a fundraiser for scholarships is what she would be wanting.”
The first Jillian Billester Memorial Scholarship was presented to 16-year-old Clara Carstensen, who had been volunteering with the Soper Reese Theatre since the age of 13. She moved up through the theater ranks quickly, and by 15 many of the older volunteers were referring to her as their boss.
Today Carstensen commutes to Mendocino College where she studies technical theater. She also works for a professional lighting company over in Ukiah. The memorial scholarship — an award of $1,000 — has helped to offset travel and school expenses. “That’s really rewarding to see that her interest has worked into something that she gets to do,” Adams said. “That’s after we gave her the scholarship, she was able to afford to drive over there.”
Carstensen didn’t know she was receiving the award. During the scholarship benefit event last year, she got up on stage to play the piano, and that’s when the entire theater staff appeared to hand over the award.
And the Soper Reese is continuing the same tradition with this year’s two recipients of the Jillian Billester Memorial Scholarship. While the surprise isn’t a requirement of the scholarship, it is a fun way to acknowledge volunteers who do what they do for the joy of it and nothing more. “I think that when people do something and they don’t expect recognition that doesn’t mean they don’t appreciate it when they get it,” Adams said, “and surprising them is a special way to give that recognition.”
Carstensen was an obvious choice for the inaugural scholarship, but in the year since, the theater has formed a committee to select the recipients. The committee consists of representatives from the Soper Reese, the Lake County Arts Council, the Symphony Association and the Lake County Theatre Company, along with Wilda Shock. Instead of applying for the scholarship, committee members nominate young people they feel are deserving of the award. The nominees must be involved in the community of their own initiative, have an interest in the arts and currently attend college or be heading off to college soon.
As a former member of the Mendocino College scholarship committee, Adams knows just how expensive school can be, even at the community college level. $1000 can make a huge difference in a student’s education. “I think it’s really good,” he said. “It’s something that people believe in: supporting young people to improve themselves, especially young people who are doing it on their own.”
It’s only year two of the Jillian Billester Memorial Scholarship, and the theater plans to continue it for years to come. There are even a couple young girls currently volunteering at the Soper Reese who could be among the nominees a few years down the road.
The scholarship is a fitting way to continue Billester’s legacy of commitment to Lake County. “When she came up here, all she wanted to do was make this community better and that’s what she did,” Dale Billester said. “She left it a better place.”
This year’s scholarships will be awarded Friday at a benefit concert at the Soper Reese Theatre. The night will be begin at 7 p.m. with music and dancing. Bands the Psychodellos — of which Dale Billester is a member — and the Fargo Brothers are donating their time for the evening. Although the theater decided to forgo an auction because of the Clayton Fire, they will be accepting donations toward next year’s scholarship.
Tickets to the benefit concert are $15 and can be purchased online at www.soperreesetheatre.com or at the Travel Center in Lakeport. The theater is located at 275 South Main St. in Lakeport. For more information call 263-0577.
Jennifer Gruenke can be reached at 900-2019.
